First Tee Panic by Smith Dean Wesley

Author:Smith, Dean Wesley [Smith, Dean Wesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Nonfiction
Publisher: WMG Publishing
Published: 2014-08-31T04:00:00+00:00

10

TAKING A DEEP BREATH, MAYBE TWO

DON’T SKIP THIS SECTION just because you think I’ve already pounded the breathing thing home. This is different.

Right now, you have your ball teed up, you’ve stepped back directly behind the ball, you have your driver in your hand, and you’re about to step to the ball and address it.

Your golfing buddies are silent, watching.

The group on deck has arrived and are sitting in the carts, watching.

The starter is watching.

It’s the nightmare come to play itself out in real life.

No, not hardly. Not with all the things that have gone right to get you to this point this morning.

So, standing there, staring at your target and nothing else, the ball two steps in front of you, it’s time for the final few details of the preparation.

Take two, long, very deep breaths. This will get you enough oxygen to get you through the shot without problems. But two deep breaths like that also relax muscles. It’s like a signal to your body to let the stress go.

Just like Jack or Tiger or any of the big guns on the tours, while you are doing these breathing exercises, focus on your target. If you haven’t noticed them doing this, watch the next time they show a professional player tee off on television. They are not just staring lamely down the first fairway hoping to have their ball land out there somewhere. No, they are staring intently, snake-eyed at a single target.

And they are taking in and letting out long, deep breaths.

Do the same.

This single-minded focus tends to block out all the problems that could happen as a result of a poor shot. This focus tends to bring in only the aspects of a good shot.

And if you do this focus while taking the two deep breaths, it somehow puts that single focus down into the part of the brain that steers the golf swing. I don’t think there have really been studies on why this happens, but trust me again, it does.

And if you don’t trust me, pay attention during the next tournament on television, especially to the big ones like the Masters or US Open that show the leaders teeing off on the first tee.

You will see an amazing amount of deep breathing and snake-eyed focus. If the camera angle is good on Tiger on a first tee, you will see him acknowledge the applause when his name is called, then you will see in his eyes that he actually just closes out everything around him but his target. It’s an amazing skill to be able to do that. Us mortals can’t do that completely, but we must try.

You must try.

Focus on the target and take two deep breaths.

This will take about three seconds. If you take any longer than that, your playing buddies might say something and break the mood.

Besides, you don’t want to take any longer than a few seconds standing behind your ball staring forward. There’s just too much chance you might freeze up.

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